The present invention relates to optical detectors, and more particularly to a method for reducing the optical detector storage effects of a high speed optical measuring system.
High speed optical signals are commonly measured by applying the signal continuously to an optical detector and sampling the detector output signal with an electronic sampling system. Such a system is used in the OF150 Series of Fiber Optic Time Domain Reflectometers manufactured by Tektronix, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon. Assuming a pulsed input, the output of the detector at the trailing edge of the input pulse is in the form of an exponential decay due to the storage time of the detector. A sample strobe applied to the sampling system from a timing control during the decay portion of the detector output will result in a sample output which has a significant error from the actual value of the input pulse. What is desired is a method for reducing the effects of the storage time of the detector to produce a more accurate value at the output.